Senator denies plan to run for Lagos Governor in 2019

Lagos lawmaker, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has dismissed rumours that hes planning to contest to be the states next governor in the 2019 gubernatorial election.

The lawmaker representing the Lagos East senatorial district issued a statement through his aide, Temitope Atiba, on Thursday, February 22, 2018, to ask his constituents to disregard the report by an online news blog.

Senator Ashafa explained further that he supports incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and that he's firmly focused on his duties as a lawmaker.

The statement read, "The attention of the office of the Senator Representing the good and hardworking people of Lagos East Senatorial District has this morning 22 February, 2018 been drawn to a news item published on an online news blog known as "Society Now" and captioned "AGAIN TALKS GBENGA ASHAFA INTERESTED IN BECOMING NEXT LAGOS GOV FLOAT ABOUT TOWN".

"The Distinguished Senator Gbenga B. Ashafa hereby uses this medium to reiterate his support for the government of his Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and to state that he is firmly focused on his assignment as the Senator representing the people of Lagos East Senatorial District in the upper chamber of the Legislature.

"Senator Ashafa is equally committed to supporting the brilliant strides of the incumbent Governor of Lagos State and would continue to support him accordingly.

"It is pertinent to state at this juncture that only last week, on Friday 16 February, 2018, Senator Gbenga Ashafa used the medium of his address at the closing ceremony of the Entrepreneurship Training and Skill Acquisition program for constituents of Lagos East by his office in conjunction with SMEDAN to further publicly drum up support for the government of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, noting the good works of the governor particularly in the aspect of youth empowerment.

"It has therefore come to the Distinguished Senator as a surprise that any news medium would contemplate the possibility of him contesting against the candidacy of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in the 2019 general elections."

The lawmaker made it clear he won't run against Ambode in 2019 as he enjoys his work in the National Assembly, and urged all Lagosians to back the governor.